Carifta stars Bascombe, Wallace, Rogers on show

Carifta medallists Shaniqua Bascombe, Caliyah Wallace and Joanna Rogers will be on show at the Secondary Schools Track and Field Championships which starts today at 10 am at Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo.

The event, which is being hosted by the T&T Secondary Schools Track and Field Association (TTSSTFA), continues tomorrow at 11 am and will see some this country's best young athletes competing for glory at the annual meet.

Bascombe of St James Secondary School sped to silver in girls Under-17 200 metres and bronze in the girls U-17 4x400m at this year's Carifta Games held in Nassau, Bahamas while St Francois Girls' duo Wallace and Rogers won bronze with T&T's girls U-18 4x400m team at last year's Carifita in Curacao.

Wallace won last year's U-16 100m and 200m events while Bascombe will be hoping to rebound from her disqualification in the 100m due to a false start.

Rogers will be among the favourites for the girls Over-17 400m and 800m titles in an event where athletes will compete in four age-groups including U-13, U-15, U-17 and Over-17.

Fatima College finished in the top ten thanks to gold medals by Gyasi Boisson, Isaiah Gemon and the boys 4x100m and 4x400m teams. Two-time Carifta girls U-17/U-18 4x400m bronze medallist Patrice Richards was the star for Holy Faith Convent, Couva, winning all three of her schools titles, 100m hurdles, 400m hurdles and 400m.

Point Fortin West Secondary will look to Mathew Pulchan (1500m), Jacyel Bailey (100m) and the girls 4x100m who won gold last year.

Tehealia Kennedy landed the shot put and discus titles for Scarborough Secondary and will be looking for similar success this year.

Ayelle Joseph of Presentation College-San Fernando is another athlete expected to shine after he won the boys U-16 100m and 200m crowns, last year. So too, Joshua Box of Bon Air High, who copped the boys U-14 200m and was second in the 100m.

Nathaniel Mathura of El Dorado East Secondary was the top U-16 boys at the previous edition after he won the javelin and discus while 2017 Carifta gold medallist Zidane Martin (Chaguanas North Secondary) will be aiming to retain the boys O-17 400m title. Martin helped T&T to gold in the Carifta boys U-20 4x400m and was part of T&T's Pan American Junior men's 4x400m bronze medal winning quartet.

Two-time Carifta representative Tyrese Rawlins of Chaguanas South Secondary will be among those to watch in the boys U-20 110m hurdles. Diane Hamilton will wear the wear the colour of Moruga Secondary and will be aiming to improve on her silver in the girls U-18 400m and 800m.

Four-time Carifta gold medallist Tyriq Horsford, who won the Carifta boys U-20 javelin in the Bahamas, will lead Signal Hill Secondary. He will be joined by fellow Carifta gold medallist Talena Murray (girls U-20 javelin) with school-mate Kymoi Noray, who copped the bronze.

All will be challenging defending champion Toco Secondary, which is boosted by Tyrel Edwards (boys over 18 100m/200m) and Cheziah Phillip (girls U-18 100m hurdles).

The Championships is the breeding ground for the future Olympians of this country. Recently-crowned Commonwealth Games champions Michelle-Lee Ahye (women's 100m) and Jereem Richards (men's 200m) competed at the local schools meet. Then, Ahye competed for Tranquility Government and Richards for AJSA Boys College.

Reigning World Championships 4x400m champions Richards (ASJA Boys College), Machel Cedenio (Presentation College-San Fernando) and Renny Quow (Scarborough Secondary) also launched their athletic careers at this meet, which this year is being sponsored by the Ministry of Education, Blue Waters and Sunshine Snacks.